The Unfiltered Truth About Schramsberg and the Sparkling Wines That Outshine It
This is worth savoring: A blind tasting of seven US-made sparkling wines revealed that Schramsberg isn’t the star of the show. When I asked for alternatives to Schramsberg a month ago, the backlash was swift—until I staged a real test. Seven tasters, ranging from casual sippers to WSET-certified pros, ranked these wines using the BLIC framework. The goal? To strip away ego and see what the palate actually prefers. The lineup leaned on Méthode Champenoise, with most wines using similar grape blends. Prices were comparable, except for Gruet, which I tossed in as a wild card. Sur lie times varied,…